tilt my world and leave me falling
by TessaStarDean
Summary: RossiPrentiss. Dave decides to show Emily how a date is really supposed to go. Will be 2 or 3 parts.
1. Chapter 1

"You'd better stop scowling, Dave. Or Garcia might decide you need cheering up."

His scowl only deepened, and Emily frowned, reaching out to touch his arm. "Dave? What's wrong?"

He didn't look at her. "That guy who dropped you off. You're seeing him?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

She watched as his jaw tensed. He was obviously trying to bit his tongue, and that didn't sit well with her. If nothing else, they were always honest with each other, even if it pissed one of them off. They were good friends – they didn't dance around things.

"Just spit it out, Rossi," she sighed. "I don't want you giving yourself a coronary."

This time his eyes slid over to her. "That's not playing nice, Prentiss."

"Neither is you holding out on me," she replied pointedly.

He stared at her for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Fine," he said, his expression resolved. "I thought you were too smart of a woman to hook up with someone who doesn't treat you well."

Completely taken aback, Emily didn't know what to say. It was obvious that Dave was serious, but he had never taken an interest in her dating life before. It made a thousand different ideas race through her mind, and she shook her head, trying to make them go away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she forced out.

"Come on, Emily. I know you. I know you like to have the door opened for you. I know you hate to feel like a possession. I know that you consider yourself a geek, and that you want somebody to humor you even if they don't understand. I know that you're passionate and love to butt heads, as long as you know you're still going to be friends afterward." He exhaled loudly, looking suddenly more tired. "You deserve all of the things you want – and that guy was none of those things."

She wondered when exactly Dave had acquired the ability to render her completely speechless. Part of her tried to rationalize that he was a profiler – of course he noticed. But he hadn't just noticed. He had saved it, cataloged it, thought about it. He had taken the time to think about her.

"Dave…"

He shook his head, breaking eye contact with her. "You deserve better, Emily. You deserve to out with a guy who remembers how to treat a woman with respect."

She could tell that he was uncomfortable – he had shared more than he meant to, and he was starting to feel trapped. Smirking at him, she tried to lighten the mood.

"You saying you could do better, Rossi?"

Dave snorted. "Damn right I could." When Emily just raised her eyebrows at him, he scowled. "Fine. You and me. Dinner tonight. I'll show you how a date is supposed to go."

Emily let out a startled laugh. "You're serious?"

"I am. But don't be surprised if I ruin you for any other man, Prentiss."

Her eyes narrowed. "Bring it."

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Emily had to keep reminding herself it wasn't a real date.

She couldn't remember having been treated like this. He dressed up, showing up at her door five minutes early. He complimented her with sincerity in his eyes instead of barely contained lust. He opened doors and let her choose the wine and laughed and joked and listened as the night sped by them.

By the time he was driving her home, her blood was pounding and her head spinning.

As they pulled up in front of her building, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her laugh was quiet and shaky.

"I'm glad we didn't bet anything. As much as it pains me to admit, you were right. That was the best date I've had in ages."

He gave her a soft smile. "It wasn't all me. You were excellent company, Emily."

"Thank you." She nodded at the door. "Wanna come up and have some tea before you head home?"

"A gentleman never comes in on the first date."

She rolled her eyes in an effort to quell the butterflies. "Even a fake first date?"

Something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone before she could analyze it. "Exactly," he said. His expression softened. "Goodnight, Emily."

He was leaning in, and she was expecting the kiss on her cheek. What she wasn't ready for was how close his mouth was to hers, his hot breath ghosting across her skin.

Which meant she couldn't stop herself from turning into it. Dave sighed as their lips touched, one hand coming up to touch her cheek.

"Have dinner with me tomorrow," he whispered.

The world was spinning madly, and she needed it to stop, just for a minute, just so she could gather her thoughts. But she could smell his cologne and feel the heat from his body, and she needed to put some distance between them if she was going to make heads or tails of this. Sitting back slowly, she took a deep breath.

"Dave," she said slowly, latching on to the first thought she could. "We can't."

He blinked, and the soft expression was gone, replaced by a stoicism she was used to seeing at work. "Right."

Emily gave him a sad smile, trying not to wince at the painful knot in her stomach. "I had a really great time."

He nodded. "Goodnight, Em."

"Night, Dave."

She got out of the car, walking into her building on shaky legs.


	2. Chapter 2

JJ found her in the locker room, sitting on the bench, head in her hands. She didn't really have to ask – she knew Emily, and the decisions her friend was prone to make. Sitting down beside her, she rested her forearms on her thighs.

"What happened?" she asked gently.

Emily didn't lift her head. "It was perfect."

"That wouldn't be a problem for most people."

"It was a fake date, JJ."

"Was it?"

Emily lifted her head and glared at her friend. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't play devil's advocate. Don't give me reasons to think this might have been real."

JJ wasn't entirely sure why Emily refused to ever believe that good things could happen to her. But it broke her heart to see her this way. Reaching out, she rested her hand on top of hers.

"I'm not playing devil's advocate," she assured her. "I just…he took you out. You apparently had a great time. He…"

"Kissed me."

JJ stopped short. "Excuse me?"

Emily shut her eyes tightly. "When he drove me home, he kissed me and asked me to have dinner with him again."

JJ just stared at her in disbelief. "What did you say?" she finally asked.

Emily wiped at her eyes. "That we couldn't do this."

"Oh, Em," she whispered. "Why?"

"Because it wasn't real! Because he was just proving a point, or…caught up in the moment, or…or…" She shook her head, choking on her words.

JJ rubbed soothing circles across her back – she knew all about running. Had been a master of it, in fact, until recently.

"Did it feel real?" she asked quietly.

Emily nodded. "Yes. "But Jayje…I'm really bad at this."

"At what?"

"Dating."

JJ shrugged. "Don't date him then." When her friend frowned at her, she gave her a small smile. "Let him date you."

"There's something wrong with that logic."

"Nonsense. That came straight from Penelope Garcia. And you know she's never wrong."

Emily sniffed, leaning her head against JJ's shoulder. "If only that were true," she whispered.

* * *

"Something wrong?" Hotch asked. When Dave looked at him quizzically, he gave a small shrug. "You're sighing like a twelve-year-old girl."

Dave snorted. "You would know."

"I do seem to recall you making similar comments about me a couple of weeks ago."

"You deserved it. And despite the fact that I helped you get the girl, I don't recall receiving any thanks."

"Consider this repaying the debt."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Hotch just kept staring at him. "If that were true, you'd be hiding in your office instead of invading mine."

Dave was silent for a minute, rubbing at the hair on his chin.

"We went out."

"You and Emily."

Dave nodded.

"Either it went very well, or it went very poorly."

"I thought it was going well," he grumbled.

Hotch forced himself to remain stoic, despite the fact that he wanted to roll his eyes. Sometimes getting information out of his friend was more difficult than interrogating a suspect.

"What happened, Dave?"

The older man sighed, sounding very tired. "When we got back to her apartment, she invited me up. I declined…I don't want to be every other guy she's gone out with."

Hotch nodded. "I would have done the same."

"And then I leaned in to kiss her on the cheek."

Hotch's eyebrows rose slowly. "I take it that didn't go as expected."

"Not when I ended up kissing her for real. And then asked her to go out with me again."

His eyebrows were as high as they could go. "She said no?"

"She said we couldn't do this."

Hotch's surprise turned to a frown. "You're not going to give up, are you?"

"It's obvious she doesn't want me."

"It's obvious that she's running from you and the way you make her feel."

Dave gave him a withering look. "You don't know that."

"It's what you'd be saying to me."

"I thought it sounded familiar."

Hotch's mouth quirked upward. "A wise man once told me to give a woman three chances. Perhaps it won't take her all three tries."

"It took JJ all three."

Hotch had the grace to look embarrassed. "Actually, it took four." When Dave looked at him sharply, he shrugged. "I'm a glutton for punishment, obviously. The point is, Dave. Don't give up on her. Not yet."

He sighed. "I just don't want to look like an old fool."

"You're only a fool if you let her get away."

He sighed again and looked out into the bullpen. "Right."


	3. Chapter 3

She wanted to cry.

Emily Prentiss rested her head on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to let this break her. It was just a car.

A car that wouldn't start when the only thing she wanted to do was go home.

Wiping at her eyes, she sat back up and looked out into the dark parking garage. She couldn't just sit there. She would call a cab and then call a mechanic in the morning. Feeling sorry for herself wasn't going to do her any good.

Though she thought that maybe going home and getting drunk might help.

Emily pulled out her cell phone and dialed for information. Hopefully it wasn't too late for a cab to come out…

A knock on her window made her jump, her phone clattering to the floor between her feet. Breathing heavily, a hand pressed to her chest, Emily turned to see David Rossi standing next to her car.

"Shit," she muttered. She opened the door, but made no move to get out. "Hey."

There was an amused glint in his eyes, but she also saw a hint of wariness there. She had done her best to avoid him since their night out, even going so far as to not meet his eyes when they spoke.

But that wouldn't work here.

"Hey." He looked around the inside of the car. "Everything okay?"

"Won't start," she whispered, surprised at the sudden tears building in the back of her throat. Now was not the time to break down.

Dave nodded, hands in his pockets as he searched her face. "Want a ride home?"

"You don't have to do that."

He sighed, giving her a withering look even as he extended his hand. "Let me drive you home, Prentiss."

She was moving before she'd even thought about it, his hand cupping her elbow to steady her. Slinging her purse over her right shoulder, she watched as he shut the car door and led her to his truck.

"Thank you," she said.

He opened the door for her, but didn't meet her eyes as she climbed in. "I'd never leave you stranded, Emily."

As he moved around to his own side, Emily quickly wiped away a tear. She should have known he'd be a gentleman. How she could ever think he'd be a bastard to her just because she was an idiot…

Taking a seat beside her, Dave buckled his seat belt. "All set?"

Trapped in her own thoughts, she could only nod.

They were silent as Dave maneuvered them through the darkness. Emily's insides turned into lead as the minutes ticked by painfully on the digital clock. This wasn't a problem they were supposed to have. They were comfortable with each other. They trusted one another. This was supposed to be easy.

And she had screwed it all up.

"Hungry?"

Emily shook herself slightly, turning to stare at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Umm…" Her stomach betrayed her before her mouth could, and she blushed slightly. "Yeah, I guess I am."

He nodded, his eyes locked on the road. "Good. Dino's it is then."

* * *

He watched her pick at the burger in front of her, her fries and drink almost completely untouched. Emily Prentiss, usually so good at hiding her feelings, was coming apart in front of him.

He hadn't been sure what to expect after their 'date.' She was either going to shut him out completely or act as though nothing had happened, and he wasn't entirely sure which reaction would have been more bearable.

But he couldn't watch her like this.

"Whatever it is, Emily," he said gently, "just say it."

She looked up, seemingly surprised that he was even there. "What?"

Dave sighed, finally looking her right in the eye. "We've known each other too long, and too well, to play these games. Whatever you're thinking, whatever you're feeling…you don't have to pretend with me. I'm not going to suddenly stop being your friend."

She gave him a sad half-smile. "Even if I'm an idiot?"

"I'd say we all have our moments."

Emily nodded, taking some strength from his words. He knew her secrets, and he had never betrayed her trust. There was no reason to start doubting him now.

"I'm not very good at this," she said quietly.

"I'm fairly certain you've proven that."

Emily's head jerked up at his words, but when she saw the smirk dancing across his lips, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Bastard."

"Never claimed to be anything else." He set his coffee down and stretched out his hand, but thought better of it, stopping halfway. "Just tell me what you want, Emily. I'm driving blind, here."

She sniffed, resting her chin in her hand. "Did you know that one of my strongest suits is screwing things up?"

Dave narrowed his eyes and mimicked her pose. "Do explain."

"Well, I'm really good at meeting men who are bad for me, letting them into my life, and then watching them walk away afterward. It's a cycle, and I've really gotten the hang of it."

"I see."

"But then…" She cleared her suddenly dry throat. "But then, a nice guy comes along. Not even just nice…he's really a very good man. And he sweeps me off my feet."

Dave nodded. "And what do you do?"

"Oh, I screw it up," she replied, amazed at how easy the conversation was now. "See…I don't trust good things. I think that there's no way this man could actually want me. Or that…even if he does, he'll eventually realize that I'm a wreck and not worth the trouble."

He rubbed at his beard. "What if he already knows you're a wreck and still thinks you're worth the trouble?"

Emily shook her head. "Not possible."

Dave's eyes softened, and he reached out, gently brushing her hair from her face. "Do you want this?" he asked, his voice hushed.

She placed her shaking hand over his and pressed it against her cheek. "Yeah."

His thumb moved over her skin, causing her eyes to slide shut. "Then I'm not giving up on you, Em."

Her eyes opened, and she found herself caught in his gaze. She wanted to run, to bolt out of the diner as fast as she could. But her body wouldn't move, ignoring all the commands she threw at it.

Maybe it knew better.

"You're a difficult man, David Rossi," she replied with a smirk.

His smile was steadily growing, and it amazed her how much she had missed it over the course of the day. "Does that mean I get a second date?"

"I'm pretty sure this is your second date."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "So do I get a third?"

She made a light tsk-ing sound. "Greedy."

"No…greedy would be going in for a kiss."

Her free hand moved to his collar, tightening her grip on the fabric. "Dave?"

"Hmmm?"

Emily smiled. "I think you should go for broke here."

He didn't have to be told twice.


End file.
